ILL Vs Broadband.. Choose wisely, not hypely

Do You Know How an Internet Leased Line is Better than Broadband?

With the evolution of new technologies, the costs of data plans have been falling and businesses have multiple options to choose the basis of Internet connectivity in their offices. Unlike the more common broadband service that is a shared Internet connection, leased lines operate on a private network that is dedicated to the organisation paying for it. This affords the benefits of higher data transfer speeds without any drop in QoS in peak usage times, unlike a broadband connection that can be affected by the activities of other users.

Over the last few years, the availability and connectivity speeds of fibre broadband have increased while simultaneously its costs have reduced. This has led to a comparison between fibre-based broadband and fibre leased lines. Business owners wish to know which of these will be a better choice for online connectivity across their organisation and office branches.

While both broadband and Internet leased line (ILL) offer access to the Internet at fixed subscription costs, they have a few sharp variations in terms of the features they offer to an enterprise.

What is the difference between ILL and Broadband?

Fibre broadband offers high-speed connectivity between the business premises and the local exchange or service provider. It has a variable bandwidth and is asymmetric, which may imply faster speed for downloads than for uploads. Also, it is not a dedicated connection and is subject to sharing with other users.

A leased line is an alternative medium to connect to the Internet and is also taken on rent from the service provider. However, it is an exclusive connection with an agreed bandwidth and provides identical upload and download speeds. There is no contention with other consumers who also subscribe to the Internet from the same service provider.

The speed for a leased line can vary between a basic 2 Mbps to multiples of 10 Mbps. The connectivity for the Internet is delivered to an enterprise’s premises employing fibre optic cables

Below are the significant differences between leased line vs broadband that will alternate as the critical factors that can help you make the decision.

Technology

One of the main differences between broadband and leased line is the technology used for connecting to the internet. A broadband connection will reach one cabinet from where a cable will go to your home or the organisation.

In a leased line, there is no intermediary cabinet. The connection is direct to your home or your organisation. Moreover, the standard connection among many users slows down the service in broadband. But a leased line broadband has a dedicated line for every user, and they do not have to share with others ensuring good speed.

Price

If looking for the best leased line internet service provider, you should be aware that as these are dedicated, they will cost higher than broadbands. But the user should evaluate the cost against the value and, QoS, quality of service before making the decision. While a broadband connection will still work for houses, organisations need higher speed and bandwidth.

Speed

Another significant difference between broadband and leased lines is the speed difference between services. When it comes to broadband, the upload and download speeds are asymmetric. The download speed is always higher than the upload speed. But this differs from the case in the leased line, where upload and download speeds are identical. Considering the requirement for backups and cloud storage in corporate environments, a leased line makes more sense.

Consistency

Unlike broadband, leased lines have an SLA or service level agreement. It helps in highlighting the minimum or basic expectation the user can expect to receive. Moreover, a leased line often comes with a 99% guarantee of uptime, dedicated bandwidth, and support for troubleshooting.

Data Limit

Another critical point in the broadband leased line comparison is that the leased line plans have a low latency guarantee and are thus suitable for organisations having VoIP or other business applications.

Benefits of Leased Line over Fibre Broadband for Business Users

An increasing number of organisations are opting for the leased line because it delivers better performance at a lesser cost. Furthermore, leased lines come with a connection that may be tailored to derive unwavering bandwidth and more uptime. This is better than the vanilla broadband configuration that cannot prioritise the needs of different users.

A leased line is provided exclusively to the business that has subscribed to it and it is an ‘always-on’ connection with both data as well as voice-based solutions. The subscription amount is usually paid on a yearly basis. As this is a dedicated connection, it comes with a promised bandwidth supported by a Service Level Agreement (SLA).

When they subscribe to a leased line service, businesses have the guarantee of promised download and upload speeds at all times. This ensures better performance for their operations than a common broadband connectivity that compels them to contend for Internet speed and bandwidth with other consumers. Furthermore, they can alter the upload and download speeds as required to meet their particular business needs. And they pay purely for the actual bandwidth used by their organisation

What kind of businesses should opt for leased lines?

The enterprises that need high-performance Internet speeds for business-critical apps and frequently use remote access software systems benefit significantly from a leased line.

These lines are also good for businesses that must simultaneously run multiple business applications to share files, access emails, transfer data and frequently collaborate with clients or remote employees. A leased line brings quick and reliable connectivity, making way for higher productivity and better client retention.

What equipment and features are provided by the service provider with an Internet leased line?

On subscribing to a leased line, a business gets a private Internet connection which is not used by any other user in the locality. The router provided along with this leased line is administered by the service provider and configured in a dedicated facility at the business premises.

Leased line companies offer an uptime guarantee of over 99%, which is supported by a comprehensive SLA. Full technical support is also offered for troubleshooting.

In addition, the main network and the performance parameters including jitter and latency are constantly under observance as part of the SLA to strengthen the reliability of leased line services.

These Internet lines come with the same speed for downloads and uploads. Businesses can also adjust the speed further as per their particular work needs and preferences.

As the bandwidth is not shared with any other user, there is an assurance for the requested bandwidth throughout the subscription period. The bandwidth can be adjusted as per the changing business needs through a bearer circuit that allows for more bandwidth without the need to change the line.

Unlimited data is another feature with the leased line service – there is no cap on the Internet usage for the subscribers. They can consume as much data as they want.

Leased lines are also backed by low latency guarantees, which is good for enterprises using VoIP setups and mission-critical business apps.

A permanent IP address is a distinct advantage of leased lines. The service provider can offer the client more than one permanent IP address making it possible for the company to run specific business apps, web servers, email servers and other software systems.

FAQs

Which is more secure, ILL & broadband?

Regarding the security and reliability of a particular service, the ILL in telecom is better. It is much more secure and reliable as compared to broadband. When it comes to a broadband connection, it is shared among multiple users. Because of this, the security factor is somewhat compromised. But in a leased line, the connection is kept from many users and thus is more secure.

How does the service differ between the two connections?

The service is much better in an internal leased line as it comes with an industry-backed service level agreement. It assures the organisation of a certain level of service and reliability. Because of this,
ILL is more reliable in case of faults or glitches; it will be fixed at the earliest. But in broadband, it might take 2 to 5 days to resolve any issue compared to a few hours in an internal leased line.

How to choose the best leased line providers in Pune?

Choosing an internet leased line Pune can depend on many factors, including your requirements and other aspects like location. We are one of the best leased line providers in Pune, with tie-ups with multiple big organisations. Moreover, our prices are competitive with top-notch services and support.

How do I choose between broadband and ILL?

The decision between broadband and ILL has to happen after considering the different factors surrounding them and your priorities. If you want a dedicated connection with a single IP address, you should go for ILL. The broadband connection might make you switch or jump between multiple IP addresses as it is a shared connection.

oreover, if you are looking for the best support and a certain standard of service, you should choose ILL. Broadband is often better for private or home connections, whereas ILL suits corporate connections.

Ready to choose between a conventional fibre broadband and a dedicated leased line?

Here is a summarised view of the differences between the two:

A business that employs more than 20 full-time users accessing bandwidth-intensive systems will benefit more from a leased line. It brings a more reliable and productive Internet connection than fibre broadband for daily operations.

Conclusion

Eventually, choosing between the two options will depend on what you want or value. For example, if the requirement is speed, security, and reliability, then internal leased lines are your obvious choice. But if your focus is to keep your cost low, then you should opt for the broadband connection.

But when you are prioritising cost, you should also consider speed as well as reliability. For example, having regular downtime with a broadband connection will eventually increase your price as it will result in a loss of revenue. Moreover, your productivity is lower because of slow internet speed, and thus cheaper broadband might not be helping.

Thus, it would be best to keep these factors in mind before deciding. But if you are facing difficulty deciding, you can always consult our team. Our team of experts will help you with details about various ranges of packages in broadband and ILL.